Washing-machine



I WJCJFORSEE. WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION H150 mun-1a, 1920- 1 PatentedJune 21, 1921.

W. -C. FORSEE.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 18, 1920.

1,381,982, Patented June 21, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WILLIAM C. EOESEE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1921.

Application filed March 18, 1920. Serial No. 366,891.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM C. Fonsnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in thecounty of Jackson and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washingll lachines;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same;

My invention relates to improvements in washing machines of the typewhich are mounted on rockers, and my principal ob ject is to provide amachine of this character which although being comparatively simple andinexpensive, will be highly efficient and durable, and easy to operate.

With the foregoing in view. other objects are to provide novel means forremovably supporting the washing tank on the rockers; to provideeffective means to prevent creeping, of the rockers without in anymanner interfering with smooth movement thereof; to make novel provisionfor heating the water in the washing tank; to provide a unique closurefor the washing tank, capable of use as a washing-board; and to equipthe washing tank with a novel arrangement of handles for rocking saidtank and removing 1t from the rockers.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novelconstruction and arrangements of parts hereinafter fully der scribed andclaimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanyingdrawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the washing machine constructed inaccordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section with parts inelevation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the plane indicated by line3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. a is a perspective view of the base and the burner carrying slidemounted thereon.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the rockers and associated parts.

In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral 1 designates asuitably constructed base which includes parallel horizontal tracks 2having upstanding flanges 8 along their outer edges, the two flangeshaving substantially semi-circular stop blocks 4 located atapproximately central points. The stops 4 are located at the innersidesof the flanges 8 and are of less WIClth thanthe tracks 2 as' shownclearly in Fig. 3. A. pair of rockers 5 rest removably on the tracks 2and are provided in their outer sides with recesses 6 of substantiallysemi circular formation. These recesses open through the lower edges ofthe rockers but are only of a depth substantially equal to half thethickness of the rocker, so that the curved edges of the rockers,adjacent their inner sides, are uninterrupted to rock freely andsmoothly upon the tracks 2. The recesses 6 receive the stops 4 and thus.the rockers are held against longitudinal creeping on the tracks, butoscillation of the rockers is not interfered with in any manner.

The rockers 5 and transverse slats 7, 00- act in forming a rocking framestructure to support a preferably rectangular washing tank 8. The endsand sides of this frame structure are provided respectively with cleats9 and 10, which form upstanding flanges removably receiving the tank 8therebetween, whereby to hold said tank against both longitudinal andtransverse motion, but at the same time allowing the tank to be removedwhenever required.

The tank 8 is provided with a longitudinally extending arched handle 11whose ends 12 are pivoted at 13 to the ends of said tank, the latterbeing preferably reinforced by a metal band 14. The handle 11 may turneither tothe right or left of the tank 8 so that it may be used to rockthe device from the most convenient point. Movement of the handle 11 inone direction or the other is limited by the projecting ends of a pairof longitudinal bars 15 which are suitably secured to the outer side ofthe tank walls, at or near the upper edges of said walls. In addition toperforming this function the projecting ends of the bars 15 carrytransverse handles 16 which are used when applying the tank 8 to therockers or in removing the same. The ends 12 of the handle 11,preferably operate between the handles 16 and the ends of the tank, asshown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. The ends of the tank 8 are provided withtransverse horizontal ledges 17 which are spaced downwardly from theirupper edges, preferably about six inches, said ledges having upwardlyopening sockets 18, near their ends. A closure 19 for the upper side ofthe tank 8 is receivedin said tank between the two ledges 17, and theends of said closure are provided with pairs of projecting pins whichare 'but they permit saidvclosure to swing upwardly to either side ofthe machine and rest against the tank walls as indicated in dotted linesin Fig. 3, and when in this position, the closure may beused as anordinary wash board, for which purpose its lower side is suitablyroughened as indicated at 21. By spacing the closure 19 and itssupporting ledges 17 downwardly. from the upper edge of the tank, notonly can said closure rest against the tank wall, as shown in Fig. 8,when swung upwardly, but any water which may splash around the sides orends of the closure when the tank 8 is rocked to and fro, will betrapped and will not therefore splash on the floor. if desired, the endsof the tank may beprovided with inwardly extending boards or the like22,

which serve to prevent excessive splashing of the water as the tank isoscillated.

Iprefer to provide the base 1 with a suitably constructed guide-way 23with which a slide 24 is removably engaged. This slide carries a burner25 which may either consume a liquid or gaseous fuel, and said. slidealso carries the fuel supply pipe 26. If liquid fuel is to be consumed,the fuel tank 27 will also be supported by the slide 24 as indicated inFig. 2. By this arrangement of parts whenever it is necessary to heatthe contents of the tank, the slide 24 and parts carried thereby may beinsertedinto the guide-way 23 and when the burner is. then lighted, thetemperature of the water in the tank will be quickly raised totherequired extent. The slide may then be removed if desired but it mayremain in the guideway if the operator wishes. I consider the provisionof the burner 25 and associated parts of great importance, sincetheypermit the water to be heated directly in the washing machine, insteadof having the trouble and annoyance of first heating such water on astove and then pouring it into the machine.

In operation, the water to be used is poured into the tank 8, and theclothes to be washed are placed in said tank. When the necessary heatinghas now been effected by means of the burner 25, the tank is rocked toand fro by means of the handle 11, and the splashing produced serves torapidly and easily clean the clothes. lVhenever desired, the closure 19may be swung upwardly in either direction and used as a wash board,

or when it is desired to carry the tank 8 from one place to another, thehandles 16 may be conveniently utilized and the handle 11 may then beswung to the'limit of its movement in either direction, so that it willbe entirely out of the way.

The machine is comparatively simple and inexpensive, yet it is easy tooperate and is intermediate transverse bar parallel with said end bars,a horizontal elongated plate secured at. its ends to said transverse barand one of said end bars and flush with the upper surface of the latter,a pair of parallel undercut guide tracks secured on the upper surface ofsaid plate along the edges thereof, a stop cleat secured to the innerend of said plate and extending between said guide tracks, a fiathorizontal slide plate resting on said first named plate and slidablyengaged with said guide tracks, the inner end of said slide plateabutting said cleat and the outer end of said slide plate resting on theaforesaid end bar, a burner carried by the inner end of said slideplate, a fuel supply pipe extending from said burner outwardly along theupper surface of said slide plate and projecting beyond the outer end ofsaid plate, and a fuel supply tank supported by the outer end of saidpipe and spaced outwardly from the first named tank.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 7 my hand. 7

WILLIAM C. FORSEE.

